Food & Drink

By Stephen Bywater @authorbywater Riobello prides itself on being Italian and Giovanni, the owner, welcomes you with the warmth of a Roman holiday. Italian parents, supports Juventus and cultivates conversations with the ease of a man who’s travelled the world and is now determined to have the very best Italian restaurant north of the Alps….

Companions’ Bread Club is held the first Saturday of every month from 10am at their bakery on Mill Street. Relaxed and informal, it’s basically, a coffee morning themed around bread! Membership is just £5 a year which allows the use of Companions’ bread oven by arrangement; then £1 per meeting to cover refreshments. “Each session is different,” explained Companions Real…

On Friday 19th February, the newly rebranded visitor centre at Eagle Brewery in Queens Park was unveiled. The former home of Charles Wells is now owned by established brewer, Marstons who will continue to brew Eagle IPA and Bombardier alongside their other ales. The iconic Bedford eagle has been reimagined by Ampthill-based creative agency, Bonfire,…

By Stephen Bywater The Knife and Cleaver is your smart gastro-pub: trad yet modern, quirky yet familiar, hip yet at ease with itself. Locals line the polished bar and there’s the scent of aftershave and ale. In the dining area, with its hint of a gentleman’s club, there are couples and fours and sixes, spread…

Need help navigating Bedford’s bars? Want to up your Christmas cocktail game? Then help is at hand. We sent roving reporter Zoe Stafford (plus one) on a cocktail crawl to find the finest strong liquor available to humanity (within the town centre)… Myself and Roll Your Own Records’ Captain, Dave, were given the arduous task…

It’s the restaurant you might cycle or drive by on St Peter’s and think: must go for lunch there one day, or possibly dinner. It’s Italian / Mediterranean and offers a more intimate experience than Pizza Express, which is slap-bang opposite. A £10 lunch grabs the eye, and for at least a year I’ve been…

What better excuse to raise a glass than the 40th birthday of Bedford Beer Festival? This annual celebration of real ale takes place at the Corn Exchange and anyone also celebrating their 40th between 4th and 7th October can claim a free pint (proof of age required!). Approximately 160 real ales will be on offer,…

The official launch of Riverside Bedford may not be taking place until 2nd & 3rd September, but there’s still plenty to see, do and eat there. We took a Sunday morning stroll along the river to report back on what’s open. Here’s your handy Clanger guide to Riverside Bedford: Vue Cinema The new town-centre Vue…

When the sun is shining and the ‘out of office’ message is on, then there is nothing better than a staycation. There are so many places to explore in our green and pleasant land, that often there’s no incentive to go further afield. And sometimes you don’t even need to leave Bedford. If you’re looking…

The extraordinary Paris House is an award-winning fine-dining restaurant, set in 22 acres of parkland on the beautiful Woburn estate. Built as part of the Paris Exhibition in 1878, the Renaissance half-timber structure was dismantled and rebuilt in Woburn at the behest of the 9th Duke of Bedford. Among its many incarnations, the building has…